How to protect your card transactions and help your credit

Are you trying to get the year off to a good start by giving your financial health a little TLC? Besides creating a budget and working to pay off credit card balances or consolidate debt, care should be given to where you use your credit and debit cards.

Weâ€™re not big fans of using a credit card when you can use cash, which makes it easier to be conscious of what you spend, but there are times when itâ€™s the most convenient way to pay. For those times, here are a few easy tips on how to keep your credit and debit card transactions safer from fraudsters looking to steal your credit card information:

Choose ATMs located in the lobby of a bank or inside a store whenever possible. An ATM is much harder to tamper with when itâ€™s somewhere with restricted access, and a security camera or store employees are able to keep a watchful eye on it.

Shield the keypad when entering your PIN number on any device, especially one that isnâ€™t at a check out stand or cash wrap desk where a store clerk or cashier is likely to be.

Choose a gas pump as close to, and visible from the gas stationâ€™s convenience store where an attendant is working. Look for any sign of tampering or unusual â€œextraâ€ on the payment device before inserting your credit or debit card.

Safeguarding your credit and debit card information from prying eyes isnâ€™t new advice, but the ways you can do so are worth repeating. Itâ€™s too easy to forget these basics when youâ€™re distracted or in a rush. The last thing you need when you’re trying to rebuild credit or strengthen your financial picture is unauthorized use of your credit.

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